Ironwood could not but help get lost amid New Meridian's ever continuing skyline as he sat on the New Meridian transit system. It chained on for possible miles and all he could say was it was extensive, and it was continuous. Many of the buildings could rival any of Atlas' cities in means of shear size. He looked down toward the dregs below him however and got a more un settling look of an area in shambles. No different from the Faunas on Remnant he guessed. The interesting change was it seemed that they were not as scorned toward normal people.
"Sickening to see their condition's, right?" Big Band finally spoke up looking at Ironwood's scowl. "They admit they don't care much for their conditions, but I hold my doubts. Anyone can put up a face." His tone though metallic seemed to come from experience. Despite this observation it seemed to have pity.
"You speak as if there are a class treated just as horribly." Ironwood was disconcerted though interested.
"There are two. One is brandished a criminal the moment they make a wish. The other, well your world has dealt with them a whole lot."
Ironwood looked out the window reflecting on what he was told. "(The first one is obviously the Skullgirl, no way around it. The second one however.)" It put him in a very deep thought. It was unusual for him to not have an answer.
"Hint" Big Band spoke up already telling he was nowhere near the answer. "A good example is someone you have taken interests in." It was a very dull tone hinting at slight surprise that he could not think of the answer.
"Carol?" Ironwood answered receiving a nod from the stoic brass section. "(I understand her because this world views her as a monster but not many are transformed by the ASGL. What could it…)" His eyes widened when he recalled a single item inside Filia's records on Remnant, a hat. "Carol's infected as well." He recalled from his interviews with her and Avian. "Those with Parasites are considered the hated race." His conclusion resulted in the same approval answer from Big Band.
"You catch on quick for a Bureaucrat." Big Band stated while it could be taken as an insult it seemed to be a compliment this time around. "Many infected are hated by many. Heck they are occasionally viewed as threats as dangerous as the Skullgirl in proper hands. You met a prime example as well based on That anthropologist's reports."
"We never exactly met her." Ironwood corrected him. It was obvious he was referring to the mysterious woman that helped Cinder gain access to Skullgirl blood. Though he was not sure what they were dealing with until Samson and Filia explained how they ended up on Remnant. "You know anything about her."
"Just what Vaudeville told me." To the point "Seems like she likes keeping her hands clean in there if she can help it." The results were not very satisfying. "That was until Cerebella woke up in the E.R. several days after Your mutual hair monster infected host disappeared." Ironwood began to suspect that her last name was not exactly liked. "The circus act is a well known strong arm for the Medici Mafia, when she appeared almost entirely drained of her blood."
"It linked this woman to the Medici's." Ironwood concluded in shock. "What else do we know?"
"Not much. I'd wager any parasite may know her many of them seemed to have a hatred of her." Big Band looked back out the window to see only the walls of graffiti filled tunnels. "We should be in Mapelcrest in five minutes."
True to his estimates Big Band began to stand up as the metro system pulled into the small suburbia outlet. Ironwood looked at the colored streets in slight surprise to see a form of urban serenity even in this kind of world. He would argue he was envious but even Remnant strived for this kind of valued ideal to some extent.
He looked down at his notes he found in Carol's record at the headquarters and began to head down the station's steps. It seemed to be a very quiet section of town. Birds were nesting as dogs chased several cats through the fall time suburban land scape. Several students where busy exchanging notes from what he could assume were today's classes. It made him realize that they need to finish their mission fast and return their own students back to their classes for their own studies.
"Carol's home should be down the street past the Ice cream truck over there." Big Band spoke up as he turned away from the general.
Ironwood looked at him confused. "Where are you heading?" He seemed to be slightly concerned of his tour guide's sudden urge to separate.
"Not far." It was slightly reassuring to some extent. "Mysterious shooting happened in a local school fight club." A more penetrative sigh of annoyance at the crime troubled him. "Going to lend some friends my assistance since we used to run on the same beat." He began to walk off but stopped quickly before cocking his head. "I will be out of ear shot but I'm close by to save your hide if you need it." He walked off in the opposite direction of Ironwood's destination.
Ironwood turned around and continued through the streets of the Mapelcrest suburb. It was a very quiet area that seemed like an area some people would settle down in. He looked down at the sheet of paper he wrote down the address of Carol's family at and began to pace through the serene environment slightly uneased. Eventually he did find the house a blue painted home with a well-kept lawn. This was all he could see of the front of the house but that was the least of his concern. He wanted to ensure something to those that were wronged.
He adjusted the color and tie of his garments. The people in the lab were very keen on the world jumper's change their clothes when leaving out into the city since many of the Remnant travelers stuck out like a score thumb. That said, he was talking to what could be called a shark man hybrid creature as he was changing a Being almost made entirely out of a jazz band's blood lubricant so sticking out was not exactly the biggest concern on his list of concerns.
The house was much like the other houses in he area. Cheap manufactured duplicate homes were often used in these kinds of environments. It was a two-story building with a simple roof and chimney nothing out of the ordinary. It seemed the car was gone so he was not sure if any one was home. Hesitantly he passed the border that the was marked by white picket fences as he approached the door. He looked around only to see a few students pass by paying him no mind. He lifted his hand to knock on the door.
Several minutes passed as he waited for the door to open. He began to second guess his idea of trying to help Carol by talking with his parents. He clearly did not know what to say to them since they apparently rejected her after all that had happened.
The door swung open revealing a woman around Ironwood's age possibly younger. She was wearing a blue dress and seemed to be wearing an apron for cooking. She looked at him confused as she adjusted her hair. "Can I help you?" She seemed to be nervous. Most likely from the shooting earlier today.
Ironwood stood there frozen for a second before regaining his composure. "Miss, I'm here to discuss a missing person report you may have filed about a year back." He was not sure if she would by into it, but it was worth a shot.
"I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about." She began to close the door quick.
Ironwood didn't move to keep the door from closing instead he spoke up. "Please new information regarding Carol's disappearance has been discovered."
"We already said all we know please ask the detectives on it." She was pushing against the door hoping he doesn't try to barge in.
"Ma'am please listen to me." He pleaded knowing it wasn't working however. "We think we know who took her.
"NO!" The woman yelled angrily. "We agreed to drop it." This caught Ironwood by surprise.
"Agreed?" Ironwood looked at the door as she heard a locking noise. He took a heavy breath as he waited for an answer. She remained silent to his concern. He heard shuffling he was guessing she was scrambling to her phone. "I'm sorry for troubling you." He sighed in defeat.
He went to turn around when he heard something strange come from the door. He turned around to see an envelope lying on the welcome mat. She pushed it through it's mail slot. He walked up to it in confusion as he opened it. It was a very strange letter to say the least. It seemed to be hastily written by a female. Where ever she lived it seemed to be drenched in dried blood.
I do not know you,
And I can assure you that you do not know me. And I think it's best we keep it that way, for the worse I guess. This letter has been on my to do list for a very long time (and I can not even guarantee that you will ever get this letter with the amount of misdirection I had to use.) This regarding your missing kid, never cared to remember her name but the look in her eyes that day is something that makes me question who the real monster is. I can not say what has become of her, no actually that is a lie. All three of us know what has happened to her. All I can say is everything I did was for the benefit of our own survival. I do not expect to seek forgiveness from you or her.
Our paths will cross day in the future. On that day justice will be simply,
Painful.
Ironwood looked at the letter curiously as he turned it around. He recognized what the paper was. The paper seemed to be some form of medical consent form used for early notes of a patient. He began to read some of the notes which began to sound eerily familiar. "(this can't be who I think it is.)" He began to tell himself while looking at the envelope. There was more inside the envelope. Inside were a handful of pictures and a single real of negatives. He looked at the photos to see a face he knew extremely well. The photos were black and white and image of a retransformed Carol as well as her after the implants.
He looked back at the door "I see. When did you get this?" His voice may have gone to full military mode. He could feel his voice having authority in it.
"Several days after we met her." She spoke still there. Ironwood was slipping the envelope back in. "We don't know who sent it." Was not a big shock to him given the letter.
"I'm sorry." He could only apologize. "I know once encountered her in more un favorable circumstance." Memories of her rampage in the middle of Beacon's harbor town came to mind. "Since my own encounter I have tried to do what I can to save her."
"You think there is a cure for this?" The woman asked from behind the door.
"I don't know." Ironwood sighed as he walked away disappointed. "I don't know."
Above New Meridian.
Parasoul looked down on the city from the Egret's blimp concerned about the events that have transpired. She turned to look at her soldiers only for her to be the only one on deck. It was not a common thing to be on her own. However, she has been haunted by the visitation of that gray-haired man earlier today. She was to busy contemplating the meeting until Adam walked in. He had taken off his officer's jacket for the time being probably since they had left the heater in the ship on. He saluted Parasoul before looking out the window.
"It certainly is on hell of a town sir." His voice was sincere, but it was clearly exhausted from the raid they did today. "I can understand why something like her would choose to hide here." That sentence seemed to anger Parasoul however since she began to walk away. "Sir?"
"Adam, I'd like your opinion on something." She finally spoke to his surprise. He stayed quiet as she began to lower the scanner's volume. Adam stood at attention as he looked at her for the question. "The man we met today at the raid sight. What do you think of him?"
Adam stood there clearly in slight surprise. He began to rub the back of his head trying to think of the answer to that question. "I don't think there is much to say. As far as any of us are aware he was just some nut trying to scare you." He could tell she did not like his answer.
She turned and began to walk away from him again heading to a chess table on the bridge and observe the current set up. "That is what I thought at first. The problem is he brought up the homeless parasite child with surprising knowledge of operation exile." She began to touch the King's pong and move it forward two squares. "Have any of the scouts come back?"
Adam began to recall the conversation in the tent.
Hours Earlier
Parasoul entered the tent flustered at the civilian that had just began to talk to her. She saw Adam off to the side next to the communication devices. "Do you think he bought it?" Adam asked as he looked through one of the mosquito nets at the man.
"Too early to say." She said looking back at him cautiously. "What is the current plan of attack again?" She was busy trying to observe the buildings blue prints. "Whisper them please."
Adam looked at her uncomfortably since it came off as unprofessional. He idiotically then realized why she said it. "As it stands we are planning a vertical assault on the building. Our troops will come in via zipline from adjacent roofs then scale from the outside." She nodded in agreement. "casualties on our side are estimated at point zero three percent. Injuries however, is at a ten percent."
She turned around satisfied with the tests. "Good to hear. Tell them we will begin our assault at noon We can't wait till three, too many pedestrians will rush the streets at the student home rush hour."
"Sir what about him." Adam whispered again as he jabbed his thumb back at the mysterious man still at the initial boundary line.
Parasoul hummed a little in thought on the man. "We don't have time to take his meeting right now." An idea came to her right then remembering that they had rented out the Glass Canopy in Canaoplis. "I will give him a personal invitation to the party we have planned in a few days."
"Good plan sir." Adam complimented to her lack of amusement.
It was cut short however when she saw the man looking at them. Her surprise turned into a glare as she turned around angrily. "He's been ease dropping." She said in shock as she continued to talk to her subordinate. "I don't know who he is, but people like him are never alone." She looked at Adam again angrily. "Have spies follow him I want to know exactly who or what we're dealing with."
Flashback end
"Unfortunately, no." Adam spoke rather disappointed He turned up a piece of paper from his pocket though. "We can confirm that three known skull hunters have been sighted recently."
"Why would three people be linked to this." Parasoul asked cautiously
"The three individuals have been missing for a little over a month until two days ago." Adam spoke up again as he went to read the three names. "The names were Peacock, lab eight's magnum opus. Nadia Fortune, known cat feral thief and what remains of the Fish Bone gang." His eyes widened a little as he looked at the third name. "Now this is interesting." Parasoul looked at him intently not caring for his remarks "Cerebella, confirmed Medici family enforcer."
Parasoul looked at him almost as surprised as him. "a lab experiment, a thief, and a mafia thug all putting their differences aside?" She shook her head in disbelief. No theoretical way the three could get along.
"That is not all sir." Adam continued According to Panzerfaust, the one girl from the incident has been staying at his house recently" Parasoul's attention was almost directly on him her face expressionless aside from the loss of color of her skin. "He says that she has friends." Adam turned away for the last statement looking back at the city's skyline. A crash came from behind him as he turned he saw the chess table on the ground the pieces scattered everywhere. Parasoul laid in the chair completely frozen. "Sir?' was all he could muster.
"Adam." She paused her eyes frozen wanting to confirm it for herself. "Maplecrest, twenty hundred hours tonight." Adam gave her a confused look. "I want to confirm it for myself."